Web spreading device



Oct. 25, 1949.

Filed Jan. 24, 1947 W. H. CORN WEB SPREADING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet lZnventor (Ittorueg l 1949- w. H. CQRN WEB SPREADING DEVICE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1947 Zmvemor dttorneg Patented Oct. 25,1949 WEB SPREADING DEVICE William H. Corn, Pisgah Forest, N. 0. assignorto Ecusta Paper Corporation, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationJanuary24, 1947, Serial No. 724,068

Claims. (Cl. 271-21) This invention relates to machines for winding orrewinding continuous web material, and more particularly to an improvedspreading device for avoiding wrinkles in a traveling web trainedthrough such machines.

A common difficulty in handling a traveling web in machines of this typeis that wrinkles are easily developed in the extended web as it istrained through the machine, which wrinkles if not removed will bepressed into folds as the web is rewound and thus produces defectivematerial. In view of this difllculty, various types of spreading devicesare employed to spread the traveling web transversely to smooth out thewrinkles. One usual type of spreading device comprises a roll formedwith spiral grooves arranged'from the center toward each end. Anothertype of spreading device consists of a bar over which the traveling webmay be trained, and which is bowed so as to tension the web to a greaterextent at its center and thus force any wrinkles toward the edges of theweb.

These prior types of spreading devices, however, have not been adaptedfor adjustment to varying characteristics of the traveling web beinghandled. This is an important factor in many instances, such as when ahigh quality paper like cigarette paper is being handled. In such a casethe wrinkling tendency of the traveling web may vary from roll to rolldue to differences in moisture content of the paper, for example; andthis difference may even be pronounced as between outer and innerwindings of the same roll. And as it is correspondingly more importantto avoid the defects resulting from wrinkles in high quality material,the lack of any means for adjusting the prior spreading devices tovarying characteristics of the web material being handled has been atroublesome deflciency.

The improved spreading device of the present invention incorporatesmeans for adjustment which avoids the above described diiiicultyentirely. Generally described, this spreading device comprises aspreader member, such as a bar or the like, over which a traveling webmay be trained, an extending strut element positioned substantiallymidway of this spreader member, a tie structure fixed on the spreadermember adjacent the ends thereof and tensioned over the strut element tobow the spreader member, and means for adjusting the extending positionof the strut element to vary the force exerted through the tie structureand thereby adjust the degree of bow in said spreader bar. The adjustingmeans is arranged with a manipulating member positioned at one end ofthe spreader member so that it is readily accessible for adjustmentduring rewinding operations. This arrangement provides a simple andhandily adjustable construction which may be easily and quickly adjustedto the characteristics of a particular web material under actualproduction conditions.

The spreading device of the present invention is described more indetail below in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side View in section of a rewinding machine incorporating aspreading device arranged according to the present invention:

Fig. 2 is a transverse section view oriented substantially on the line2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, of the spreading device;

Fig. 4 is a further detail in section of the manipulating screwmechanism for adjusting the spreading device:

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the manner of assembling the screwmechanism with the support member for the strut element; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.'

With reference first to Figs 1 and 2 of the drawing, a spreading deviceIn constructed according to the present invention is shown incorporatedin a conventional type of rewinding machine. The rewinding machinecomprises a suitable supporting base H, a supply roll [2 journalled inbearings l3 disposed on the supporting base H, and a rewind roll l4,arranged in the usual manner to rest on a driving roll (5.

The supply roll I2 is adapted for supporting a roll of paper or the likeI6 for rewinding. A web I'I withdrawn from this roll i 6 is extendedover the spreading device I by training it under idler rolls l8 and I9,and is then led to the driving roll l5 to be taken up on the rewind roll14. A slitting device, such as a disc knife as indicated at 20 in Figs.1 and 2, may be provided if desired to slit the web I! as it is rewound.

The spreading device I is carried on the supporting base ll of themachine in brackets 2|. These brackets 2| are formed with an internalbore adapted to receive stud members 22 extending from assembly collars23 arranged adjacent each end of the spreading device l0. Suitable nuts24 and 25 are associated with the stud members 22 so that they may bepositioned in the brackets 2|, and may be adjusted relative to thebrackets 2| to obtain a desired extending position for the spreadingdevice Ill.

The spreading device I6 is illustrated more in detail in Fig. 3 of thedrawing. As shown in Fig. 3, the spreading device l0 comprises an outershell 26 which serves as a spreader member. This outer shell 26 has agenerally tubular form, and is provided in a length sufficient toaccommodate the width of web material it is desired to process on themachine. A strut element 21 is arranged with an extending dispositionabout midway of this outer shell 26, and a tie structure 28 is fixed onthe outer shell 26 adjacent its ends and tensioned over the strutelement 21.

The strut element 21 is formed with a sleeve 29 arranged on the outershell 26 to position a rod member 30 which is grooved at its extendingend to receive the tie structure 26, and which is supported inside theouter shell 26 against the tension of tie structure 28 as described morein'detail below. The tie structure 26 conveniently comprises a tie rodas shown attached to the other shell 26 by boltsor the like, asindicated at 3| in Fig. 3, and fitted with turn buckles 32 forassembling it with a. suitable degree of tension over the strut element21.

The rod member 30 is supported inside the outer shell 26 by a supportingmember 33 comprising a cylindrical block or the like fitted slidingly tothe internal diameter of the outer shell 26, and slotted to provide aninclined face, as best shown at 34 in Fig. 5, forming a bearing surfacefor rod member 36. And it will be evident that the point of support onthis inclined face 34 will determine the extending position of rodmember 30 in sleeve 29; and that lateral translation of supportingmember 33 in outer shell 26 will effect adjustment of this extendingposition, which will in turn adjust the force exerted through the tiestructure 26 and the resulting bow imposed on the outer shell 26.

As previously mentioned, a-manipulating mechanism is provided accordingto the present invention for effecting this adjustment. As shown in thedrawing, this mechanism comprises a manipulating handle 35 positioned atone end of the outer shell 26, and fixed-on a shaft 36 extending to theabove described supporting member 33 associated with the strut element21. The shaft 36 is formed with a threaded portion 31 of reduceddiameter adapted to engage a correspondingly threaded bore in thesupporting member 33 (see Fig. so that rotation of the shaft 36 bymanipulating handle 35 will cause the supporting member 33 to shift onthe threaded portion 31.

In order to anchor the shaft 66 so that this shifting of supportingmember 36 on threaded portion 31 will amount to lateral translation inthe outer shell 26 and thus effect the above noted adjustment of strutelement 21, the shaft 36 is fitted with a positioning collar 38, and aspacer block 39 and thrust plate 40, assembled as a housing for thecollar 36, are secured in the end of the outer shell 26 adjacent the ma-4. movement of the supporting member 33 in outer shell 26 so that itwill not be translated at any time beyond the rod member 36, the shaft36 is adapted at its extending end to receive a nut 4| or other suitablefastening means for securing a retaining washer 42 in place as alimiting stop in one direction, and is formed with a shoulder 43 by thereduction in diameter for the threaded tiiortion 31 providing a stop inthe other direc- By this arrangement, the strut element 21 is easilyadjusted to vary the tension in tie structure 28 and consequently thebow in the outer shell or spreader member 26. Also, this adjustment maybe regulated solely from the manipulating handle 35 which is arrangedfor convenient disposition at one side of the machine so that it isreadily accessible by the machine operator for adjustment of thespreading action as necessary or desired during the rewinding operation.

Iclaim:

1. A spreading device for avoiding wrinkles in a traveling webcomprising a spreader member over which the traveling web may betrained, an extending strut element positioned substantially midway ofsaid spreader member, a tie structure. fixed on said spreader memberadjacent the ends thereof and tensioned over said strut element to bowsaid spreader member, and means operable at one end of said spreadermember for adjusting the extending position of said strut element tovary the force exerted through said tie structure and thereby adjust thedegree of bow in said spreader member.

2. A spreading device for avoiding wrinkles in a traveling webcomprising a spreader member over which the traveling web may betrained, a strut element slidingly associated with said spreader memberand positioned in extending relation substantially midway of the lengththereof, a tie structure fixed on said spreader member adjacent the endsthereof and tensioned over said strut element to bow said spreadermember, and means operable at one end of said spreader member foradjusting the extending position of said strut element to vary the forceexerted through said tie structure and thereby adjust the degree of bowin said spreader member.

3. A spreading device as defined in claim 2 further characterized inthat the means for adjusting the extending position of said strutelement includes a supporting member having an inclined face forming abearing surface for said strut element whereby lateral translation ofsaid support member efiects adjustment of the extending position of saidstrut element.

4. A spreading device as defined in claim 2 further characterized inthat the means for adjusting the extending position of said strutelement comprises a support member associated with said spreader memberfor lateral translation with respect to said strut element and having aninclined face forming a bearing surface for said strut element, and anadjusting screw mechanism extending from an end of said spreader memberand engaging said support member for lateral adjustment thereof.

5. In a rewinding machine for continuous web material comprising asupply roll and a rewind roll, the combination therewith of a spreadingdevice for avoiding wrinkles in a traveling web trained through saidmachine from said supnipulating handle 35. To restrict longitudinal plyroll to said rewind roll comprising a spreader 5 member over which thetraveling web may be trained, an extending strut element positionedsubstantially midway of said spreader member, a tie structure fixed onsaid spreader member adjacent the ends thereof and tensioned over saidstrut element to bow said spreader memher, and means operable at one endof said spreader member for adjusting the extending position of saidstrut element to vary the force exerted through said tie structure andthereby adjust the degree of bow in said spreader member.

WILLIAM H. cons.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

